Loom and method of weaving



April 23, 1935. w. D, KELLOGG 1,998,932y

LooM AND METHOD oF wEAvING Filed July 6, '1955 2 Smets-sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 23, 1935' w. D. KELLOGG Loom AND METHoD oF wEAvING Filed July 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NYNTOR ATTORNEY 5 simi nger-Ji Patented Apr. 23, 1935 LooM AND METHOD oF wEAvING l rWilliam D. Kellogg, Amsterdam, N. Y., assignor to Mohawk Carpet. Mills, Inc., Amsterdam, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July6, 1933, Serial No. 679,150

5 Claims. (Cl. 139-8) This invention relates to the weaving of tuft pile fabrics of the Axministertype and is concerned more particularly with a novel method of weaving such fabrics and a new loom by which 5' this method may be practiced.-

In the manufacture of tuft pile fabrics of the Axminister type, the looms now in most common use are of the-tube frame type. In such looms, the yarns for the tufts are wound on spools carried on tube frames mounted in transporting chains in ank order determined by the pattern. The chains are advanced by a step by step movement and, in each period of rest, one of the tube frames is removed'from the chains by 15. a transfer mechanism and presented to the fabric. Each frame carries a plurality of tubes, one for each lof the yarn ends on the spool, and in the operation of inserting the tuft'yarns, the frames are lowered so that the tubes pass'between the warp threads and the yarn ends which project from the tubes are thus placed in position to be bound by a weft shot. In the ordinary loom of ythis type, the holding weft shot is inserted through the warp threads 'and beaten up Y 25. while rthe tuft yarns pr-ojectdown below the warp threads and the tube frames lie slightly above the threads. The frame is then raised by the transfer mechanism so that the tuft yarns are drawn oif from the spool, the ends thereof 30, which lie below the warp threads are looped about the holding weft shot by means of a comb, and the lengths of yarn inserted are then severed from the supplies. The remaining weft shots' of the cycle are then inserted in the usual man- 35 ner, and during this time, the tube frame is restored to the chains, the chains are advanced to bring another frame in position, vand at the proper instant, that frame is removed from the chains by the transfer mechanism and lowered 40 i0 the fabric. v

In the manufacture of pile fabrics on a loom of the tube frame type, it is the customary practice to use warp threads consisting of soft cotton and av relatively stiff weft thread, for ex- The reason for this 45 ample, one made of jute.

is that unless the weft thread employed has suiicient rigidity to resist the tension of the warp threads, the weft shots will be crimped by the warp threads as the weaving proceeds, and this will result in a drawing in or shrinkage of the fabric in the direction' of the weft threads. Shrinking or shortening in the widthof such a fabric is a serious matter in the operation of ,5,3 power looms of this type because the spacing of the tubes on the tube frame and of the teeth of the comb are fixed and invariable and depend on the type of fabric being woven, being selected so that v'there will be a definite number of vpile tuftsper inch. Accordingly, when shrinking occurs, the warp threads are drawn together to an 5 extent suchthat it may become impossible to pass the tubes between the warp' threads to insert the, pile yarn ends in the fabric. Also when the warprthreads. are drawn together in this manner, it maybe impossible for the teeth of the comb to pass-upwardproperly between the warp threads to complete the looping of the free ends-of the inserted yarn about the holding weft shot. Y i

The seriousness of the shrinkage above mentioned resulting fromthe use of weft threads of soft material will be appreciated when it is understood that in the weaving of an Axminster rug ll 3l in width, 945 tufts are required across the rug in the line ofthe weft shots and when soft weft is used and it is crimped by the tension of the Vweft threads,r the width of the fabric is reduced L to approximately l0 9" at the fell ofthe goods. With such a shrinkage, it will be at once evident that the mechanical meansl having a pitch for the insertion of 945 tufts in a space of 11' 3 cannot insert these tufts, when the space has been reduced to 10' 9".

Because of the diiiicultiesvencountered when soft weft is employed in'gthe weaving of an Ax- 30 minster fabric on a loo-m ofthe type above described, such looms heretofore havebeen conned tothe manufacture of fabrics in which relatively stiff weft threads are used. However, there has recently been va substantial importation intoV this country of rugs having the face'pattern visible at the back and having weft shots of the same soft material as the warp threadathese fabrics having quality, feel, and appearance superior to that of simmer fabrics made with stiir weft threads of 40 jute. y

There are no looms in this country, with the possible exception of a relatively few looms of the gripper type,kwhich can be used to produce a fabric which has a multiplicity of colors in the face andback patterns and soft weft and warp threads, and accordingly, the domestic mills have not been able to produce fabrics which can compete with the imported fabrics. 1 'Ihe great majority of power looms in Athis country suitable for the production of fabricsof theAxminster type include tube frames and their associated mechanism for introducingthe pile yarns and, while such looms are the only ones whose characteristics lend themselves to the possible production of fabrios which can compete with the imported fabrics attempts to use soft weft and Warp threads in these looms as now constructed have not been successful.

In attempting to modify the present Axminster looms of the tube frame type in order that soft weft thread may be used, numerous expedients have been employed.

For example, the use of temples for holding out the edges of the fabric and preventing shrinkage has been attempted, but this expedient did not prove satisfactory because injury was done to the pile and back surface of the fabric, and fur thermore, the temples do not hold the warp threads apart with a uniform spacing. Attempts have also been made to achieve the desired resuit by using a sized weft thread but this increases the cost of the fabric and does not produce uniform results.

lNhile fabrics of the desired characteristics'can be produced on looms ,of the Brinton type in which grippers present lengths of pile yarns to the fabric to form the tufts, these looms are expensive to install and maintain,'there are only a limited nurnber of such looms available, andthe looms doV not function satisfactorily, nor can they be maintained cheaply when kused-for the weaving of wide fabrics. Furthermore, since the "majority of looms in use in this country are of the tube frame type, and the mills cannot afford to discard such looms and install. new equipment, itfh'as become highly important to provide improvements which can be incorporated in looms of the tube frame insertion type so that fabrics can be Woven thereon in which the pattern appears on theback, the pattern designs contain a multiplicity of colors, and the weft and Warp threads are both of a relatively soft material.

The present invention-is accordingly directed to the provision of a novel loom of the tube frame type for weaving Axminster fabrics, in which the difliculties'above mentionedl are overcome, the new loom being so constructed that weft material of the desired soft characteristics can be employed in the'fabric Without causing shrinkage. The new loom also includes other features of novelty such as .the elimination of all combing operations, and Yin this loom fabrics may be produced in which there is a full showing of the face pattern on the back without the use of auxiliary moving parts, such as combs, tuft holding bars, and plates. vAt the same time, the loom retains the advantages of the tube frame construction and the tuft yarns are inserted by mechanism which is simpler both in construction and operation than the tuft inserting means commonly used in looms of the Brinton type.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a View of the loom in vertical section; v

Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary views illustrating the functioning of certain parts during the weaving operation;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view showing a portion of the breastplate and reed;

Figure 7 is a sectional view showing a portion of the breastplate;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing a modified construction; j

Figures 9, 10 and 11 are sectional views showing three types of fabric which can be produced on the new loom; and

Figure l2 is a View in side elevation of a modified lay and reed construction.

Referring now to the drawings, the loom as illustrated comprises the usual side frames 20 supporting the operating parts and provided with risers 2i affording support for the girt 22. The completed fabric 23 passes under the girt and over an idler roll 24 to the spike roll 25 and then to the carpet take-up mechanism not illustrated. Attached to the risers 2B of the side frames are brackets 21 which afford support for the shaft 28 carrying sprocket wheels 29 about lwhich passthe chains 30 on Which the tube frames 3i are mounted. Each of these tube frames carries one or more spools 32 on which are wound the ends of tuft yarn, the ends passing from the spool through spaced tubes 33 and projecting beyond the ends of the tubes as indicated at 34. The yarns are Wound on the spools and the spools are arranged on the chains in an order determined by the pattern to be produced.

The transporting chains are advanced With the usual step by step motion by mechanism not shown to bring the tube frames successively above the fell of the fabric, and in each period of rest, one of the tube frames is removed from the chains and presented to the fabric by transfer mechanism. This mechanism includes the usual transfer arms 35 pivotally mounted on pins 36 in arms 31 mounted on shaft 38 supported in suitable brackets attached to risers 26. Arms 35 are actuated by rods 39 pivotally attached at one end to the arms by pins 40 and at the other end by pins 4i to levers 42 pivotally mounted at 43 on the loom side frames. The levers 42 are provided with rollers 44 Which bear on cams 45 mounted on the loom shaft 46 which is driven by any suitable means, and the roller 44 carried by each arm is held in contact with the surface of its cam by a spring 41 attached at one end to the arm and at the other end to a bracket 48 secured to the loom girt 49. Y

In order that the tubes of the frame to be presented to the fabric may properly enter the spaces between the Warp threads as the tube frame is lowered by the transfer arms, ythe tube frame in the arms must be tilted so that the tubes will enter the spaces at an angle. For this purpose, the clutches 50 on the ends of the transfer arms 35 and in which the tube frames are picked up, are pivotally mounted on pins 5I in the arms, and attached to each clutch above the pivot pin 5l is a link 52 which is attached at its other end to an arm 53 fixed to a shaft 54 mounted in any suitable manner on the risers 26. Secured to this shaft is an arm 55 carrying a pin 56 to which is attached a link 51 also attached to one end of a lever 58. Lever 58 is pivoted on a pin 59 in an extension from an arm 42 and lever 58 carries a roller 60 which bears against the surface of a cam 6l mounted on the loom shaft 46. A spring 62 attached at one end to the arm 55 and at the other end to a pin 63 on the loom side frame acts through the connections to maintain the roller in contact with the surface of its cam.

The loom includes the usual mechanism, such as heddle frames 64, 65, and 66, for manipulating the warp threads to produce the desired sheds, and these heddles contain the usual heddle wires or the like yhaving eyes through which the warp threads pass. The heddles are raised and lowered to producethe desired sheds by the customary cam, linkage, and lever devices which are not shown.

warp threads and prevent their closing in. As

'Ihe weft threads are inserted in the sheds by a needle 67 and the appropriate mechanism for advancing the needle into the sheds and withdrawing it therefrom. The Vneedle and the needle motion may be of any well known type and, since the needle and its operating mechanism are of standard construction, they need not be `further described. Y

The lay 68 employed in the new loom is mounted for rocking movement on a shaft Se iournaledf in bearings mounted on the loom side frame and the lay carries a dent holder i9 which inturn supports the reed dents 'H in the fixed spaced relation necessary to space thewarp threads in proper relation to the tubes of the tubeY frame. Extending downward from the lay is an arm 72 which isrconnected by a pin 'i3 to one end of a rod 14, the other end of which is pivotallyconnected at 'l5 to a lever 16. This lever is mounted on a pin i1 in a bracket' 'i8 attachedto the loomv girt QS and the lever carries'aroller i9 which bears against the surface of the cam t!! mounted on the loom shaft 46. The roller is heldin contact with the cam by means of a springr 8l. attached to clamp 82 on the rod 'I4 and to a bracket 33 on the cross member 84 between the side frames. rIhe cam 8i] operates through the connections to swing the lay so that the reed dents beat up successive weft threads and the rearward travel of the lay is limited bymeans of a .stopV screw 85 supported in a brackett` attached to the cross membery 84, this stop screw lying in the path of travel of the arm 'l2 and preventing further movement of the arm.

The breastplate 8l' employed in the new loom is attached by brackets 88 to the cross member 22 and the breastplate is slotted at its forward edge so as to provide teeth 89. These teeth are sepn arated by pairs of slots, one slot 9G of each pair receiving the warp'threads and the other slot Si receiving the individual dents 7| of the reed, and the teeth are spaced in accordance with the fixed spacing of the reed .dents and that of the tubes 33 of the tube'frames. Each tooth has an upwardly inclined face V92 forreceiving a tuft yarn, this face ending in an upward projection 93. In order that the reed dents may enter the slots 9! between the teeth, the lower extremities of the pile receiving faces are beveled off, as indicated at 9d in Figure 6, so that the dents will be properly guided into the slots.

As indicated in Figure 6, the breastplate 8l'r has a tooth with a pile receiving face for each pile yarn loop in a transverse row of tufts in the fabric and to the rear of 'each of these faces, there is a slot in which a warp thread is received. The warp threads in the slots are held in proper uniform spaced relation adjacent the fell of the fabric and entirely across the fabric so that even though soft weft materialv is employed, of the kind that would ordinarily be crimped by the tension of the warp threads, the Vwarp threads are prevented by the teeth from closingtogether and thereby interfering with the insertion of the tuft yarns. The dents of the reed also serve to hold the warp threads properly spaced and when it is desirable to insure that the warp threads will have the proper spacing from the slots in the breastplate to the heddle eyes, a second reed may be mounted in the dent holder, the dents of,

the second reed being shown in Figure S at S5. When the auxiliary reed is employed, the individual'warp threads are passed inicontact with opposite faces ofthe dentsof thetwo reeds and the two reeds thus insure proper spacing of the the warp threads are Vthus held properly spaced,

the reed may be freely advancedand retracted in the beating vup of the shot.

" In'the ordinary Axminster loom of the tube frame construction, the'frames are dipped s'o-that the yarn ends are passed between the Warp threads directly in front of the reed and, after the completion of the dipping operations, the free ends of the yarns lie below the warp threads. After the beating up of the holding shot, .the frame is raised to draw off the proper lengths of yarns from the supplies, and the inserted lengths.

are then severed from the frame. The ends of the yarns which lie below the Warp are then turned upwardly and looped about the holdingshot by means of a comb. In the loom of this invention, such a comb may be dispensed with and the tube frames maybe dipped downward and away from the breastplate in such manner that the'free ends of the yarns lie above the warp threads with each end of yarn positioned between ythe warp threads on the pile receiving face t2 of a tooth of the breastplate.

, This feature of the loom is illustrated in Figures 2 vto 5, inclusive, and in Figure 3, the tube frame 3l is shown as being dipped into the fa ric with the yarn ends 34 lyingr against the `faces 92 of the breastplate teeth, the free ends of the yarns lying above thewarps and the yarns forining bights or loops. With the tube frame in this position, the needle l inserts'a weft shot in the loops of the yarns, and the tube frame then rises out of the warpp 'Ihe reed now advances to beat up the shot, and itforces the shot over the projections S3 on the top of the teeth of vthe breastplate. The tube frame isr then raised' further, drawing the inserted yarnstight about the shot and drawing off enough yarn from the spool to form the next tuft from this spool when it again reaches the weaving point. VThetube frame'is shown in this position in Figure 4. The reed is now retracted, and the tuft yarns are severed from the supplies thereof on the spool by knives 96 andk 91.

The front knife 95 is mounted on a support 98 attached to arms'SS on a shaft lili? supported in a suitable bracket attached to the loom side frames and the shaft is rocked to bring the knife into cutting position by the standard mechanism for the purpose. `VThe back knife Slis mounted in a support IBI and slides in ways ISE in a suitable support. The back knife is also actuated by standard mechanism which need not be described. f

By employing a slotted breastplate having projections on top of its teeth, it is possible to maintain the fell of the fabric in xed position throughout the weaving and this results in a saving of tuft yarn. In an ordinary Axrninster loom With a breastplate without slots, the fabric moves forward with the lay and then back and the fell of the fabric may shift a distance Varying from Mg to depending on the firmness of the i imperfect condition and in the subsequent nnishing operations, substantial amounts of tuft yarn have to be removed to make an even pile surface and the amount of yarn thus removed represents waste. When the slotted breastplate having the projections is employed, the fell of the fabric does not shift and the projections assist in turning up the tuft yarn around the holding weft shot. As a consequence, the Ysevering knives operate accurately and much less trimming of the pile surface is required in the finishing operations. There is, therefore, a reduction in the loss of pile yarn and the cost of production is correspondingly lowered.

The use of a slotted breastplate with projections in connection with tube frames dipped down and away from the breastplate to form tuft yarn loops in which the holding shot is inserted not only permits weaving fabrics wwith soft weft but also makes it possible to make tighter tuft loops than can be produced on a gripper loom. In that form of gripper loom in which the yarns are inserted by the grippers moving down and away from the breastplate, the grippers still grip the yarns while the holding shot is inserted but the yarns do not have the form of loops. YWhen the shot is beaten up, the grippers open and release the yarns just before the shot slips off the projections, and the contact of the previously gripped ends of the yarns with the projections is depended on to turn up these ends aboutthe shot. rThe yarns are thus merely folded about the shot instead of being drawn tight, and frequently, a yarn slips olf the front face of its projection with the result that one end of the yarn remains in the fabric instead of being properly looped.

In the new loom, the inserted yarn lengths are drawn tight about the holding shot as the tube frame rises, and the inserted lengths are not severed from the supplies until after the loops are completed.,k As the shot slips off the projections, the tension on the warp threads forces its toward the front faces of the projections, and the shot clamps the yarns against those faces at the lower ends thereof. Then when the frame moves up, the yarns are drawn tight about the shot and the rear leg of each yarn loop extends up the front face of its projection and is held upright thereby until the next shot is beaten up. The fabric produced in the new loom, therefore, has tighter loops and less defective loops than fabrics produced on gripper looms.

In Figures 9, l0, and 1l, there are illustrated three different forms of fabric which can be produced on the new loom. The fabrics shown in Figures 9 and ll are of the three-plane, threeshot construction in which sets |93 and |04 of stuffer warp threads are used, these sets of stuffer warp threads lying in upper and lower levels. The weft threads B5, |56, and G? are inserted to lie above the upper stuifer warps, between the upper and lower stuffer warps, and below the lowed stuffer warps, respectively, and the weft shots are held in place by binder warp threads |08 which pass over each weft shot which lies above the upper stuffer warps and below each weft shot which lies below the lower stuffer warps. The pile tuft yarns ille are looped about weft shots which lie between the upper and lower stuffer warps. The fabric illustrated in Figure ll is sirniiar to that shown in Figure 9 except that the pile yarns are looped around weft shots which lie below the lower stuffer warps and the pattern of the pile is thus visible at the back of the fabric.

The fabric shown in Figure 10 is of the twoplane variety in which two ,wefty shots and 9S of each cycle lie above the stuffer warps |03 and H24 and weft shot |81 lies below the stuffer warps, the pile yarns |09 being looped about weft shots Hl'l so that the pattern is visible on the back. In this fabric, there is asingle set of binder warps |38 which pass over the top ofthe two shots lying above the stuffer warps and beneath the shot which lies below the stuffer warps. In order that the operation of the loom may be clearly understood, the weaving of the fabric illustrated in Figure on the` new loom will be described in detail.

Referring to Figures 2 to 5, inclusive, the stuffer and binder warp threads are illustrated in Figure 2 as having been manipulated by the heddles 64, E5 and 66 to form a shed for the insertion of weft i il) by needle 61, Ythe binder warps H38 lying above the weft shot-and the stuier warps |03 and IM below. With the warps in this position, the needle entersthe shed to insert a shot of weft and isr then retracted. As soon as the needle has left the shed, the reed advances and the dents 1| engage the shot and beat it up, the dents entering the slots between the Yteeth of the breastp-late at the end of their forward movement and forcing the shot over the top of the projections SS on the teeth. Two weft shots are introduced successively in the shed illustrated in Figure 2, and

lupon the completion of the insertion and beating up of these shots, the heddles bring the warp to a level position by lowering warps |08 and raising warps |63 and |04. At this time, the transfer arms have removed a tube frame from the chains, and these arms move downward until the tubes 33 of the frame have passed between the warp threads and taken the position illustrated in Figure 3. As the warp threads lie in the slots in the teeth, the threads are held apart to the desired extent and the tubes enter the group of warp threads with a movementdownward and away from the reed so that the portions of the yarns exposed beyond the ends of the tubes rest against the faces 92 at the ends of the teeth with the extreme ends of the yarns lying above the warp threads. The heddles are now manipulated to raise warps |03 and |04 and to lower warps |08 and the needle then inserts another shot in the thus formed. As shown in Figure 3, the portions of the pile yarns extending out of the tubes form fiat loops or bights in which the weft shot is inserted through the shed.

As the needle is retracted, the tube frame is lifted out of the warp to a position in which it is clear of the reed which is thenadvancing, and the dents of the reed enter the slots and force the weft shot over and behind the projections 93 on the teeth, as shown in Figure 4. The tuft loops then lie behind the projections .'53, and while the reed is in forward position, the tube frame is raised to the dotted line position shown in Figure 4 so that lengths of yarn are drawn from the supplies suitable for the next insertion of tufts from this frame. The reed now moves back and the knives 96 and 9T cooperate to sever the inserted lengths of pile yarns from the supplies. Thereafter, the transfer arms return the tube frame to the chains, the chains advance the next frame into position, and the insertion of weft proceeds until the next insertion of tuft yarns is to occur. l

It will be'noted in Figure 5 that the first weft shot of the succeeding cycle is inserted in a shed before the tuft yarns looped about the holding shot of the preceding Icycle have been severed frame by the cobase il i is another reed base H2 which carriesY dents I l 3 which do not enter the slots'. The bases lll and H2 are held in place by a cap H4 and bolts H5 and the bolts pass through slots in base H2.` At the ends of base HlA areadjustmentscrews H6 bearing on the ends ofrbase H2 and permitting base H2 to move relative to base HQA so as to vary the relative positions of the dents of thetwo reeds; The dents are preferably so ,positioned that they engage the Warp threads on opposite sides and centre them properly relative to the slots in the breastplate.

It willbe apparent, Ythat in the new'loom, the operation ofthe tube frames `for inserting tuft yarns is in no way dependent upon the character of the weft materialused, and, in this loom,l soft weft thread may be employed since the breastplate and the-reed prevent the warp threads from closing in on one another. The new loom is much simpler than looms of the Brinton type having grippers and much cheaper to construct and maintain. Also it is much more productive than the Brinton loom because it can be run at much higher speeds than are possible in a loom which includes grippers. As the features of the new loom can be incorporated at little expense in many of the tube frame looms now in use, it will be apparent that the invention makes it possible to modernize old equipment and place it in shape to produce fabrics able to compete with the irnported oriental fabrics and others capable of production heretofore only at high cost and on expensive equipment.

I claim:

1. In a method of weaving Axminster fabrics with relatively soft weft thread on a loom of the tube frame insertion type containing a slotted breastplate having projections on top of its teeth, the steps of dipping a tube frame into the warp threads with a movement d-own and away from the fell of the fabric to leave the tuft yarnsprojecting from the tubes between the warp threads in the form of loops with the free end of each yarn adjacent the fell of the fabric and above the warp threads, forming a shed of the warp threads, inserting the holding weft shot in said shed and through said yarn loops, raising the tube'frame out of contact with the warp threads, beating up theholding shot over said projections, said holding shot being then caused by the tension on the warp threads to clamp said yarns against the front faces of said projections, raising said frame further to draw o yarns from the supplies on said frame and to draw the inserted lengths of yarn tight about the holding shot, severing said inserted lengths of yarn from said supplies, and positively maintaining said warp threads laterally spaced adjacent the fell of the fabric continuously throughout the weaving operation to permit the tubes of the frame to pass between adjacent warp threads in the inserting operation.

2. In a method of weaving Axminster fabrics with relatively soft weft thread on a loom of the tube frame insertion type containing a slotted breastplate having projections on top of its teeth, the steps of dipping a tube frame into the warp threads with a movement down and away from the fell of the fabric to leave the tuft yarns projecting from the tubes between the warp threads in the form of loops with the free end of each yarn adjacent the fell of the fabric and above the warp threads, forming a shed of the warp threads, l

inserting the holding weft shot in said shed and through said yarn loops, raising the tube frame out of contact with the warp threads, beating up the holding shot over said projections, said holding shot being then caused by the tension on the warp threads to clamp said yarns against the front faces of said projections, raising said frame further to draw off yarns from the supplies on said frame and to draw the'inserted lengths of yarn-tight about theholding shot, severing said inserted lengths of yarn from said supplies, and positively maintaining said warp threads laterally spaced continuously throughout the weaving operationboth atthe fell of the fabric and at a distance to the rearof the fell to permit the tubes of the" frame to 1 pass between adjacent warp threads in the inserting operation.

3.V In a method of Weaving Axminster fabrics with relatively soft weft thread on a loom of the tube frame insertion type'containing a slotted breastplate having projections Yon top of its teeth, the steps of dipping a tube frame into the Warp threads with a movement down and away from threads, inserting the holding weft shot in said shed and through said yarn loops, raising the tube frame out of contact with the warp threads, beating up the holding shot over-said projections, said holding shot being then caused by the tension on the warp threads to clamp said yarns against the front faces of said projections, raising said frame further to draw oil" yarnsfrom the supplies on said frame and to draw the inserted lengths of yarn tight about the holding shot, severing said inserted lengths of yarn from said supplies, continuously maintaining the yfell of the fabric in substantially unchanged position throughout the weaving operation, and positively maintaining said warp threads laterally spaced adjacent said fell throughout the weaving operation to permit the tubes of the frame to pass between` adjacent Warp threads in the inserting.

operation.

4. In a loom for weaving Axminster fabrics, the combination of heddle mechanism for manipulating Warp threads to produce sheds, means for inserting a weft thread in each shed, a reed for beating up said weft threads, said reed having dents engaging individual warp threads from opposite sides to maintain said warp threads laterally spaced in proper relation, a breastplate having slots and projections on top of its teeth between the slots, the warp threads passing through said slots and being held laterally spaced by the walls of said slots, transporting chains, tube frames mounted on said chains, each frame carrying supplies of tuft yarns with the ends of the yarns projecting out of the tubes on said jacent the fell of the fabric, said mechanism raising the frame free of the Warp threads to permit the reed to beat up the holding weft thread inserted in said loops of yarn and, after the beatup of said holding thread, raising the frame to draw the inserted yarns tight about the holding thread, and finally restoring the frame to the chains, and means for severing the insertedv lengths of yarn from the supplies on the tube frames, said means operating on the yarns after they have been drawn tight and before the frame from which they extend has been restored to the chains.

5. In a loom for Weaving Axminster fabrics, the combination of heddle mechanism for manipulating warp threads to produce sheds, means for inserting a weft thread in each shed, a reed for beating up said Weit threads, said reed Vhaving dents engaging individualwarp threads from opposite sides to maintain them laterally spaced in proper relation, a breastplate having slots and projections on top of its teeth between the slots, said projections having front surfaces extending substantially normal to the upper surface of the breastplate, the warp threads extending through said slots and being held laterally spaced by the walls of the slots, transporting chains, tube frames mounted on said chains, each frame carrying supplies of tut yarns with the ends of the yarns projecting out o the tubes of the frame, transfer mechanism for dipping they tube frames successively into the Warp threads, means for operating said transfer mechanism to cause it to remove a frame from the chains, pass its tubes between adjacent warp threads with a movement down and away from the fell of the fabric to form loops of yarn lying between the warp threads with the free ends of the yarns lying about the Warp threads adjacent said fell, raise the frame free of the warpthreads after insertion of the holding weft shot through said loops rto permit said shotl to be beaten up over the projections on said breastplate, raise the frame further to draw the inserted yarns tight about said shot, Vsaid yarns being clamped by the holding shot against theY front faces of said projections, and nally restore said frame't'o the chains after severance of the inserted lengths of yarn from said supplies, and means for severing said inserted lengths of yarn from said supplies.

WILLIAM D. KELLOGG. 

